19. The Sun
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Welcome to Soulchology’s worksheets, your starter-kit into an intuitive self-enquiry using tarot and astrology. I write these in my usual dry humour, which reflects the tone of my sessions too, because learning is intense enough without stripping it of humanity. A little wit makes the wisdom easier to digest!
Anyway, while full sessions include numerology, Lenormand, and therapeutic layers, these worksheets are your solo starter kit designed to get you going without frying your nervous system.
Grab your deck, take a breath and don’t overthink it. No altar required. You can read these on your lap, mid-commute, or in bed with questionable lighting. If you know current transits, great, add them in. If not, the cards still work because they’re generous like that.
And, if you shuffle really fast, they love to fling out like you’re live in an episode of Ghosts and Trevor is standing next to you.
Each sheet prompts you to connect the cards with your real life, that is, not your aspirational, one-day-when-I-journal-daily life. Pay attention to the artwork, colours, symbols, and emotional tone because tarot is layered, not linear. Study only what leaps out, don’t go looking for clues.
This isn’t about mystical perfection, it’s about noticing yourself. Your thoughts, your choices, your patterns. If you’re new to tarot and feeling twitchy about it, you might want to read my piece on Substack that gently dismantles the pressure.
My advice is to pull (or fling) your card at the end of the day, not first thing. That way, you’re reflecting and not pre-loading your brain with vague forecasts. It’s a faster way to build intuitive confidence and a more honest way to learn what the cards actually mean to you.
i. The Nutshell
Upright
The Sun struts in, throws open all the windows and announces that you’re allowed to exhale. This card is pure, unapologetic life force. After the shadowy confusion of The Moon, The Sun says: “Here’s the light, here’s your joy!” It’s clarity without cynicism, optimism without the filtered selfie. You no longer need to fake it to feel it. This archetype encourages you to confidently embrace your brilliance because there’s no asterisk on your joy, or footnote on your success. The Sun brings renewal, visibility, warmth, and a rare moment where being fully yourself actually feels safe. Imagine that.
Keywords: Joy, clarity, vitality, confidence, childlike freedom, fun, success, radiant truth
Translation: You’re allowed to be happy without apologising for it.
Reversed
The reversed Sun can mean you’re wearing your sunglasses at night because the brightness feels overwhelming. You might feel dimmed, doubt your worth, or overthink every good thing like it’s a trap. Joy feels suspicious and your success is unearned. You’re too exhausted to follow the light even though it’s already shining on you. It’s also the hangover of forced positivity and toxic sunshine. You don't need to force a smile to feel brighter, just allow the warmth in gradually. The sun still shines behind the clouds, even after a setback.
Alternatively, check in with your ego to ensure it’s not over-hyping you up asking you to fake it to make it. Identify the root cause of any masks before you swap them out for authenticity. And finally, this reversal can urge you to reconnect with your inner child if you’ve been overdoing the adulting. If you’ve been forgetting how or when to have fun, reconnect with what lit you up as a child, or give yourself the OK to step off the treadmill and dance like no one’s watching.
Keywords: Dampened joy, burnout, inner child, egocentric, imposter syndrome, dimming your light, delayed clarity
Translation: You’re standing in the sun but pretending it’s just a flashlight. Let it in.
ii. Illus-traits
A symbolic glance of The Sun in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck:
The Sun – Literal spotlight. No shadows to hide in or secrets to fester. It’s radiant and unfiltered truth which can be a bit blinding if you’ve grown used to the dark.
Child on Horseback – Innocence that’s survived experience. This kid isn’t daft, he’s just over pretending life is gloomier than it needs to be. The horse? Unarmored instinct that’s safe to ride.
Red Banner – Victory, but not the chest-thumping kind. This is a celebration of vitality, passion and the confidence to thrive without apology.
Sunflowers – Solar-powered identity. These flowers turn toward the light and you need to do the same.
Wall – Boundaries that nourish so your inner sanctum is joyously secure and feels safe.
iii. Influences
Planetary
Naturally, the Sun rules The Sun. The Sun is the core of your chart and is your life force, ego, and conscious identity. It represents clarity, willpower, and the drive to express your true self. It’s how you face the world on a daily basis and represents your vitality: where it shines in your chart; you radiate. The Sun represents who you are when you’re fully awake to your purpose.
Natal House(s)
The Sun struts through the Fifth House: the realm of joy, self-expression, creative risk, and the divine comedy of being seen. This is unfiltered and unashamed inner child territory, whether you're painting murals, falling in love with your own jokes, or admitting you do want to be the centre of attention - this is where your essence wants loud and luminous air time.
Astrological Sign(s)
The Sun card represents Leo energy, showcasing strength, stability, and a strong sense of identity. Leo should never tone down their brightness or apologise for it, and neither should anyone with this energy. This is spot light stuff, so think performers, actors and heart-centered leadership with artistic flair. If Leo is the performer, The Sun card is the standing ovation that says, “Yes, this is your stage.”
Numerologically
The Sun is card 19, reducing to 10, then 1 - an echo of both culmination and new beginnings. It's the part of the cycle where clarity arrives via a confetti cannon. You’ve been stuffing your musket and your life has come full circle; now ready to lead the parade. It’s the grown-up Fool who is now walking the path less travelled, asserting independence, being innovative and self motivated.
Element
As a Fire card, The Sun brings warmth, energy and visibility to remind you that joy is a renewable force. Embodiment is the practice so laugh loudly and take up space. Follow whatever lights you up like a sunflower tracks the sky’s fireball.
iv. A Day in the Life of The Sun
Well That Escalated Quickly
You’ve accidentally wandered into a children’s birthday party for your soul, and you’re the entertainment. Everything is weirdly cheerful, suspiciously easy, and you’re not sure if you’ve had a breakthrough or just too much coffee. Joy feels unnerving and you're scanning the fine print for a catch. Smiling this much makes your face hurt. Is this peace or heatstroke? Hard to say.
Adjusting the Knobs
Okay, fine, maybe happiness isn’t a trap. You’ve stopped bracing for impact and started sunbathing on your emotional front lawn. You're cautiously experimenting with things like hope, enthusiasm, and telling people what you actually want. Vulnerability is still a weird look on you, and you're protectively wearing it like a limited-edition jacket.
Unsubscribed from Self-Sabotage
You’re flourishing, and weirdly okay with that being witnessed. Confidence no longer feels like a BGT audition and more a side effect of not gaslighting yourself every day. You say things like “I feel really grounded” and mean it. You’ve got boundaries that aren’t 10,000 volt T-Rex fences, and joy is your baseline. Who even are you?
Writing the TED Talk
You’ve turned your life into a radiant coming-of-age story with chapter titles like How I Stopped Apologising for Being Happy and Turns Out I’m Actually Great at Life. You’re following the light by knowing you’re part of it. You glow, you know where the plug is, and you’re finally aware that being seen doesn’t mean being judged. You’ve arrived.
v. Working with these Energies
Living The Sun by Letting It Shine
The Sun offers vitality, visibility, and the kind of optimism leaves you swinging in a hammock warmed by the realisation that - wait - you’re actually okay. No crisis, no looming existential circus, just you, feeling emotionally available and ready for what’s next. The Sun declares itself and whilst that might feel unnerving if you've been surviving on dim, it’s also your opportunity to stop squinting and start living by letting your soul and personality shine.
1. Celebrate Without a Reason
– When was the last time you felt joy without earning it?
– What would it look like to validate your existence without a productivity report?
– If life gave you a standing ovation today, would you stay on stage?
2. Reintroduce Yourself to Yourself
– Who are you when you’re not trying to impress, defend, or explain?
– What talents or quirks have you outgrown hiding?
– If your inner child threw a parade, what would they be celebrating?
3. Back Away from the Dimmer Switch
– Where do you tone yourself down so others feel more comfortable?
– What version of you feels the most alive, and why is that version still part-time?
– Who benefits when you shine fully?
4. Trust the Warmth
– What if joy isn’t a distraction but a magnet?
– Which compliments do you brush off that you could accept?
– Where in your life is it safe to be seen, and for what reason aren’t you standing there more often?
5. Stay Lit Through Unease
– What daily rituals remind you that you’re allowed to enjoy your life?
– Where do you feel most magnetic, authentic, or... simply plain good?
– How can you carry that light into the moments that feel grey around the edges?
vi. Building Skills
Building Skills Without Spontaneous Combustion
The Sun invites radiant self-expression but that can feel exposing if you’re used to hiding behind self deprecating humour. Consider this ACT-aligned exercise to integrate The Sun’s life-force:
Values Check-In - Each morning, ask: What do I want to stand for today? Not what you “should” do, but what reflects your core vitality?
Defusion from Ego-Traps - Notice thoughts like “I’m too much” or “They’ll think I’m arrogant.” Say them in a silly voice or sing them to a nursery rhyme. This disarms the inner critic trying to eclipse your light.
Ten Seconds of Boldness - Do one small thing daily that feels true but slightly risky: wear the louder shirt, give someone an honest compliment, post the thing you usually second-guess. Let authenticity be your muscle.
Embodied Presence - Practice a one-minute sun salutation or stand with arms outstretched like a starfish. Physically take up space ensuring your body gets the message before your mind does.
vii. Embodiment
Learn to Live in the Light.
If you’re unused to The Sun’s energy, it can bring the kind of self-assurance that feels suspicious if you’ve been surviving on shadow work alone. Learn to trust happiness without waiting for the karmic invoice by embodying the metaphorical rays:
Smell:
What does transparency smell like? Warm skin after a nap, orange peel, grass underfoot, sunscreen and possibility. Breathe it in. This is your life without existential smoke machines.
Body:
Where does your joy land today? Your chest, your spine, that weird buzzing behind your ribs? Put a hand there. Let pleasure be informative because you’re a human solar panel.
Soundtrack:
Pick music that makes you feel alive. Drums, choirs, strings, brass - anything that stirs you into movement. Let the music soundtrack your victories.
Action:
Do something delightfully unnecessary such as dancing in the kitchen, wear the bright thing you bury or, laugh ‘too’ loudly. Let this practise honour your life force.
Nature Cue:
Stand in the sun if you can or consider a light therapy device. Feel how it changes your temperature, posture and mood. This is physics and truth.
Notice What’s Lighting You Up:
The Sun asks: What’s already working? What joy feels almost too simple to trust? Exquisite joy is the default version of your soul. Let it emanate without doubting why you feel it.
viii. Your Impressions
Look at The Sun card in your own deck if possible. Take a moment to observe without overthinking.
Where does your attention go first? The radiant child on the white horse? The oversized sun with a face? The wall of sunflowers that clearly never skipped therapy? Notice the absence of ambiguity and the presence of being.
Notice what wakes up in you. Is it a quiet sense of peace? A twinge of discomfort at being this visible? A joy so simple it feels suss? Let it rise because The Sun doesn’t do plot twists.
Now check in with your body. Are your shoulders down for once? Is there a lightness in your chest that hasn’t visited in a while? Maybe this is what feeling the light is.
ix. Intuitive Meaning
This card often signals that this glow-up is your new baseline. If The Sun keeps photo-bombing your readings (a.k.a. “stalker card” status), it’s time to ask: What part of me is ready to be seen without a filter?
Where have you trusted joy, even when it seemed impractical, and been right in a way science will never prove?
Where are you mistaking dimmed-down comfort for safety, when what you really need to be is full on solar-noon?
What truth about your brilliance are you ready to stop downplaying?
Applied Insight with a Three-Card Reading with The Sun Blazing your Trail
Where am I already thriving but pretending it’s luck?
What part of me deserves to take up more space whether publicly or privately?
What joy wants to lead, even if it disrupts my carefully managed identity?
Pull or shuffle-fling your cards and watch what beams back at you. Look for colour, contrast, symmetry and honesty:
Write Your Own Keywords
Note three personal words that reflect your experience of The Sun:
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x. Closing Reflection: Track Your Evolving Lens
Your relationship with each card will grow over time because it’s meant to shaped by your life. Consider the prompts below to revisit and reflect.
What I thought this card meant when I first pulled it: —————————————————
A recent experience that changed how I see it: —————————————————
How I feel about it now, in my body or life: —————————————————
What surprised me as this card kept showing up: —————————————————
One way this card is living in my life right now: —————————————————
If this card visited me today as a guide, what would it want me to remember? —————————————————
Revisit these after a week, a moon phase, or a meaningful moment. Let the card evolve as you do.
If you feel a quiet sense of recognition, curiosity and want to explore it, browse the sessions page for what feels right.